Two arrested after Labour candidate questioned over voting record on Gaza

Martin Shipton

Pro-Palestinian activists say two people have been arrested after the Labour candidate was peacefully accosted in the street over her views on the Gaza ceasefire vote.

In a video posted to Instagram, Alex Davies-Jones, who is seeking a second term as MP for Pontpridd, is asked why she abstained from the Commons vote on the ceasefire.

Ms Davies-Jones replied: “I did not abstain from voting on the ceasefire”, although the recording shows she abstained from voting on a Scottish National Party motion calling for a ceasefire in November 2023. In February 2024, she supported Labour’s call for a “humanitarian” ceasefire.

‘Intimidation’

The police monitoring website Netpol released a statement saying: “Elections are supposedly a time to ask tough questions, but we have received reports of a pro-Palestinian activist arrested by South Wales Police following a complaint of ‘intimidation’ made by the Labour candidate for Pontypridd, Alex Davies Jones, for posting a video questioning her silence on Gaza.”

“The bail conditions include ‘not posting on social media any information about the… (investigation)’ – remaining silent in the week leading up to the election about the candidate who had a voter arrested for questioning his voting record and membership in the Friends of Israel Labor Party.

“All over the country, locals are asking candidates tough questions about Palestine. In other areas, it has been portrayed as ‘intimidating,’ but as far as we know, this is the only arrest. This is the only one where anyone has been told not to even talk about their arrest.”

In a video posted to Instagram, Pontypridd activist Ayeshah says: “I was refused anti-epileptic medication and told that if I continued to ask for it I would not be released.”

Pro-Palestinian activist

A prominent pro-Palestinian activist called Neezo says in the film: “The government has once again shown how they are using the law to attack peaceful protesters, to take away our human rights and to stop us from speaking out. A few days ago (Ayeshah) was in her area of ​​Pontypridd where Alex Davies-Jones, the Labour MP for the area, was out campaigning. The Labour MP came across Ayeshah and her friends and she came to try to campaign and push her campaign. So Ayeshah started filming and asked her ‘why didn’t you vote for the ceasefire, why did you abstain from the ceasefire?’

Ms Davies-Jones replied: “I did not abstain from voting on the ceasefire.”

Neezo said: “She’s not intimidated, she’s not threatened, she’s not harassed, she’s not scared, she speaks completely normally.

“She (Alex Davies-Jones) didn’t show up at any of the rallies, she didn’t show up at any of the workshops or clinics where she spoke to the community, she just went on paid trips to Israel.

“And because Ayeshah recorded the video, she and another person were arrested, their house was searched, and (the police) took away posters, signs, electronics, communication devices and imposed some ridiculous bail conditions on her. Now the government is actually resorting to banning people from using social media to talk about Palestine. That’s one of the bail conditions.

“They trample on anyone who speaks out against the atrocities and genocide in Palestine that are being committed against the Palestinian people. Why? Because the government is complicit.

“This is all a distraction to take us away from Palestine. We will not be pulled away. You can take as many people as you want – it will not stop the movement. The movement is much bigger than individuals. If you think that by silencing one, 10, 50, 100 people, you have done anything, all you have done is wake up a sleeping giant… The movement is going on, the movement is growing, and the goal is freedom and liberation for all.”

Molestation

A South Wales Police spokesman said: “Two women, aged 25 and 30, have been arrested on suspicion of harassment, public order and criminal damage in the Pontypridd area.

Both are currently free on bail while the investigation is ongoing.

A pre-election event in Pontypridd on Monday, July 1 was cancelled after several candidates, including Ms Davies-Jones, said they would be unable to attend.

Ms Davies-Jones said police advised her not to attend because of the threats and intimidation she had experienced.